The National tribune., 1887-04-07
SUNDAY MEDITATION.
Practical Duties Taught by Study or the Inter
national Sunday school Lesson Appointed 70
April n. Gen., 40 1-16.

national sundAy-school lesson Appointed Tor
April II. Gen., 10 1=16. T.
Zone reading these notes should first carefully
study the paragraph from the Holy Scriptures as
indicated above.i
SUBJECT: JOSEPH MAKES HIMsELF KNOWN
TO HIS BEoIHERs.
Our last lesson was an account Of Joseph
being made Governor over Egypt, second ia
authority to Pharaoh only. (41 :40.) That event
happened 22S9, A. NJ. Directly after Joseph's
promotion, seven years of plentiful harvest
were 10 follow, succeeded by seven OF dearth.
al: :26, 27.) When our present lesson opens,
the seven years OF plenty have passed and two
years OF famine have been experienced. (4J: III
Hence we move along nine years. Add nine
TO 22S9 and we have 229S, the year A. NJ, when
Joseph was recognized by bis brothers. 1t is
% years since they parted at Dothan, Joseph
being IL years old 80: p when he was sold to
the Midianite traders Becoming Governor,
he married Asenath, daughter of an Egyptian
priest, al: 49, by whom he had two sons,
Manasseh and Ephraim, al: so %, born during
the seven plenteous years. The famine was felt
in Canaan. News came of plenty in Egypt,
and hence Jacob suggested TO his sons they go
thither and purchase food. Ten of them set
out, Benjamin being left at home. Joseph
recognized his brothers, but they did not know
him. They thought Joseph an Egyptian, and
so talked over their matters in Hebrew. not
imagining they were understood by the Gov
ernor. He demanded they return aud bring,
when they came back to Egypt, Benjamin,
Simeon being retained by Joseph as hostage.
1t is plain that 10 of Jacobs sons went to
Egypt. The father was firmly set in determi-
nation not to permit Benjamin TO go to Egypt.
But the famine continued TO rage and the pro-
visions bought in Egypt were exhausted. Some
thing must be done. At length, urged by his
sons, Jacob consented TO let Benjamin accom-
pany his brothers. Thus the 12 sons were
brought together. When Joseph demanded
Benjamin be left with him, and the 10 return
to Canaan without him, Judah made a most
touched Joseph's heart, and he could not longer
play the part of n rough Governor. He re-
quested all except his brothers to leave. The
scene to be witnessed was too tender for pub
lie gaze. He had been putting on the
appearance of one lacking sensibiity. He
could no longer repress, keep down, his
feelings. As we would say, he broke
down." He could hardly hold out long enough
10 clear the room. Once alone with his
brothers, " he wept aloud" (V. 2) A rev.
elation of himself would occasion explana-
tions Of many family matters which it was not
fitting the Egyptians should hear. Joseph
would not have them know his brothers had
once sold him. Things have changed. Twenty
two years ago he was in their hands, and they
were unmindful then of his tears. They let
him down into pit to die. Now he can i'm
prison or behead them all. Think of their
feelings. All along il is evident their con-
sciences have been troubling them. Every
time they found themselves in great danger
they imagined it had some relation to their
cruel treatment of their brother. az: 81. J
Joseph was ruler, but he foresaw he could not
pass through the ordeal of recognizing his
brothers and maintain the air, gruffness, off
hand tone and manner Of Governor. Then,
il is fitting 20 consult the feeling of persons
whose wrongs are to be exposed. 1t would have
been cruel TO permit strangers to witness such
domestic scene. But the Egyptians, though
out of power TO see, were not too far away to
hear. Joseph wept aloud attracting the notice
of the Egyptians. Eastern grief is very demon
strative. Joseph cried, not only in the sense OF
weeping, but also in vocal exclamatiOns. Sor-
row became a transport, ejaculatory, uncon-
trOllable. The Orientals are noted for their ex-
cessive. and indeed outrageous, intermittent,
bleoutbursts Of feeling. whether joy
Gus or grievous.
Unable for another moment to repres5 his
emotions, he exclaimed, Il am Joseph" He,
of course, spoke in Hebrew. "DOth my father
yet liver" No wonder the III brothers were
utterly confounded. Nine of them in special
would be stunned with remorse. Reuben took
no part in the sale of Joseph, and probably did
i
(37 81. 29.) And Benjamin was not at Dothan.
There could be no mistake. They were in the
presence and in the power Of Joseph. mo-
mentary struggle of terrible fear seized them.
To allay it, Joseph bids them not fee from his
wrath. but to come to his love. Verses So are
wonderful in their soothing. forgiving, apollo
getic tone. Joseph does not lay the guilt Of the
brothers cruelty and his sale into slavery on
God, nor does he remove it from the brothers
Their conduct was shameful inexplicable
heartless; but they had paid well for their evil
deeds They had not been happy since. Their
consciences for years had lashed them. II was
kind of Joseph 10 euphemize the circumstances
as much as possible. He was also doubtless cor
rect. Providence presided over the whole
train OF events. (Ro., 8: 2S.) The same state
of things could have been brought about with
out the cruelty at Dothan, and would, without
doubt, have been effected in some other way
There were TO be five years moro of neither
caring nor harvest. Earring in the text docs
not mean the collecting Of cars of grain, which
would be harvesting, making the verse read
| neither harvest nor harvest. Earring in the
original Hebrew means ploughing, and so is
| equivalent to seed time. Doubtless the broth.
ers had learned before of the dreams of Pharaoh
and the facts of their significance.
Joseph explains his position to his brother:
as a basis of his invitation TO have the whole
| family move into Egypt. He had authority
power aud plenty. He was a father to Pha
| rash. This is curious assertion, when WI
think of the Egyptian King as probably in age
while Joseph was only SO years old But the
term, father was then and there used rs a gov
ernmeital official title The Caliphs, or Mo
hammedan popes, called their prime minister
fathers. The Sultan styles his counselors by
the same title. The Projects of the Praetoriuu
were SO called by the EmpeTors OF Rome, as W,
learn from the letter OF Constantine TO Abba
vius. Camet says that certain officers anon,
the Phenicians Persians, Arabians and Roman
were SO titled. The term, father, is expressive
of honor and reverence. Micah said 10 a Ger
tain LeVite, !" Be unto me father and
priest" (Jud., Il: l0.}
Joseph then urged the brothers TO return
hastily to Hebron, to inform their father q
Joseph's existence and emnence and to ex
tend 10 the entire family an invitation TO max
Egypt their home, thus escaping want durin
| the five years of deaTth yet to follow. III
offered them Goshen rs their place of residence
The topography OF Egypt has greatly change
during the centuries, making it difficult
bound with exactnesss the region prolTered I
Jacob; but, considering all things, there seem
most reason 10 identify it with what is no.
known as the Wddi-t- THmeyldt. In very earl
times the Canal OF the Red Sea flowed throug
that section. Ii was choice region. On
says il was the lOveliest and most fruitfI
land on the face of tho earth" 1t is even no'
a favOrite spot for inyalids, as furnishing th
J most sunshine with the least heat Of any othC
( health resort.
{ The family consisted of 76 persons, includin
Jacob. (Eor names, see a6: S27; Compar
A lI